2D/3D switch liquid crystal display panel and 2D/3D selection liquid crystal display

ABSTRACT

A 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display device includes: (i) display liquid crystal panel ( 10 ) for generating an image in accordance with input image data; (ii) patterned retardation plate ( 20 ) for rendering a certain viewing angle to a display image during 3D display, so as to provide a 3D effect; and (iii) a switching liquid crystal panel ( 30 ) for switching 2D display and 3D display by activating and deactivating the effect of the parallax barrier means. The patterned retardation plate ( 20 ) and the switching liquid crystal panel ( 30 ) respectively have wider active areas than an active area of the display image generating means. With this, the 2D/3D switching liquid crystal display device allows for a viewing angle in 2D as wide as a viewing angle of 2D-only display.

This application is the US national phase of international applicationPCT/JP03/08160 filed on 26 Jun. 2003, which designated the US and claimspriority of JP Application No. 2002-280547 filed 26 Sep. 2002 and JPApplication No. 2003-074073 filed 18 Mar. 2003. The entire contents ofthese applications are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystaldisplay panel, and to a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaydevice, both of which allow switching of a first display (2D display)and a second display (3D display).

BACKGROUND ART

In a normal field of vision, the two eyes perceive views of the worldfrom two different perspectives due to their spatial separation withinthe head. The images from these two perspectives are then recognized asa stereoscopic image by the brain due to parallax of the two images. Byutilizing this principle, there has been developed a liquid crystaldisplay in which 3D (three-dimensional) display is carried out byparallax generated by causing an observer to see images from twodifferent points of view through the right eye and the left eye,respectively.

In some 3D liquid crystal displays, images from different points of vieware supplied to the respective eyes of the observer by first encodingthe left eye image and right eye image on the display screen accordingto e.g. color, polarization state, or display time, and then separatingthese images through a filter system of glasses worn by the observer. Inthis way, only images intended for the respective eyes are supplied tothe left eye and right eye of the observer.

In other liquid crystal displays, a display panel 101 is combined with aparallax barrier 102 having a light-transmitting region and alight-shielding region arranged in a stripe pattern. This allows anobserver to recognize a 3D image without using a visual assistance suchas the filtering system (autostereoscopic display). Specifically, aparallax barrier 102 gives specific viewing angles to the right eyeimage and left eye image generated by the display panel 101 (see FIG.11( a)). When viewed in a specific spatial viewing range, only imagesintended for the respective eyes are viewed by the observer, and a 3Dimage is recognized (see FIG. 11( b)).

Such a liquid crystal display device that carries out autostereoscopicdisplay by using the parallax barrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,055,013 (Date of Patent: Apr. 25, 2000), for example. In U.S. Pat. No.6,055,013 (Date of Patent: Apr. 25, 2000), a patterned retardation plateis used as the parallax barrier.

Such a liquid crystal display device employing a parallax barrier isalso disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,849 (Date of Patent: Apr. 4,2000), for example. In the liquid crystal display disclosed in thispublication, 3D display and 2D display (two-dimensional display) areelectrically switched by providing a switching liquid crystal layer orthe like as a means of activating and inactivating the effect of theparallax barrier. That is, in accordance with ON/OFF of the switchingliquid crystal layer, the display of U.S. Pat. No. 6,046,849 (Date ofPatent: Apr. 4, 2000) performs 3D display when the effect of theparallax barrier is activated, and performs 2D display when the effectof the parallax barrier is inactivated.

However, the following problems arise in the conventional 2D/3Dswitching liquid crystal display devices.

Such a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display device carries outthe 3D display by allowing emitted light, from a light source, to passthrough three active areas: the switching liquid crystal layer, theparallax barrier, and a display liquid crystal layer (liquid crystallayer on which a display image is generated). Therefore, the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display device is realized by atransmissive type liquid crystal display device.

Meanwhile, while the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display devicecarries out the 2D display with the parallax barrier deactivated by theswitching liquid crystal layer, emitted light from the light source alsopasses through the three active areas (the switching liquid crystallayer, the parallax barrier, and the display liquid crystal layer) inthe same manner as during the 3D display.

Because the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display device carryingout the 2D display includes the switching liquid crystal layer and theparallax barrier, the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display devicehave a thicker liquid crystal display panel than a device carrying outonly 2D display (hereinafter, 2D display by such a device is referred toas “2D-only display”). Therefore, even when the observer obliquely viewsthe display screen of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaydevice from a point within the viewing angle secured by the displayliquid crystal layer, the other components (i.e., the switching liquidcrystal panel and the parallax barrier) possibly prevent recognition ofan image displayed on a peripheral portion of a display area of thedisplay liquid crystal layer. In other words, this narrows the viewingangle, which ensures recognition of the entire display area of thedisplay liquid crystal layer, as compared with the viewing angle of the2D-only display.

Further, in the 2D/3D display liquid crystal display device having sucha structure, a display liquid crystal panel requires, outside of itsactive area, a region for a terminal section for input and output ofelectric signals (a scan signal and a data signal). Moreover, aswitching liquid crystal panel is required to receive a signal(switching signal) for electrically switching optical properties of theswitching liquid crystal layer. Therefore, a terminal section forreceiving the switching signal is also required to be provided outsidethe active area of the switching liquid crystal panel.

On the other hand, because the patterned retardation plate serving asthe parallax barrier is not required to receive such electric signals, asubstrate of the patterned retardation plate does not essentiallyrequire any area other than its active area.

Accordingly, because substrates of the display liquid crystal-panel andthe switching liquid crystal panel are provided with the terminalsections, the substrates are larger than the patterned retardation plateby sizes of the terminal formation portions, respectively. Therefore,the terminal formation portions of the display liquid crystal panel andthe switching liquid crystal panel protrude from a 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel constructed by assembling the displayliquid crystal panel, the patterned retardation plate, and the switchingliquid crystal panel.

Because the terminal formation portions thus protrude from the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel, and are portions of thesubstrates made of glass, the terminal formation portions tend to beeasily broken by external stress. For example, the glass substrates arecracked by the external stress, such as dropping and impact, exerted onthe terminal formation portions. This causes the liquid crystal displaypanel to, e.g., be out of display action. Such a problem is particularlyserious for liquid crystal display panels for a mobile phone and a PDA(Personal Digital Assistants).

The present invention is made to solve the problems, and its object isto provide a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel and a2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display device, each of which allowsthe viewing angle during the 2D display to be as wide as that in the2D-only display. Another object of the present invention is to improvereliability against the dropping and the impact.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

To achieve the objects, a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel, of the present invention, capable of 2D display and 3D displayincludes: display image generating means for generating an image inaccordance with input image data; parallax barrier means for rendering acertain viewing angle to a display image during 3D display, so as toprovide a 3D effect; and switching means for switching 2D display and 3Ddisplay by activating and deactivating the effect of the parallaxbarrier means, the parallax barrier means and the switching meansrespectively having wider active areas than an active area of thedisplay image generating means.

During 2D display and 3D display by the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel, the image display is carried out by allowingemitted light, from a light source, to pass through the three activeareas of the display image generating means, the parallax barrier means,and the switching means.

In cases where the active areas have the same width, the constituentmembers of the parallax barrier means and the switching means possiblyinterrupt an image in the peripheral portion of the display area (theactive area of the display image generating means) when the observerviews a display screen obliquely during the 2D display.

With the arrangement, the active areas of the parallax barrier means andthe switching means are wider than the active area of the display imagegenerating means. In this case, it is possible to restrain such aproblem that other areas outside the active areas of the parallaxbarrier means and the switching means shield off the light having passedthrough a vicinity of an end portion of the display screen and throughthe active area of the display image generating means. This improves theviewing angle during 2D display.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel is preferablyarranged such that one of the active areas of the parallax barrier meansand the switching means farther away from the active area of the displayimage generating means has a wider area. The 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel is preferablyarranged such that d1≧t1·tan θ1, and d2≧t2·tan θ1 are satisfied, whered1 is a widthwise protruding amount from an end portion of the activearea of the display image generating means to an end portion of theactive area of the parallax barrier means and, d2 is a widthwiseprotrusion amount from the end portion of the active area of the displayimage generating means to an end portion of the active area of theswitching means, t1 is a distance, in a panel thickness direction,between the active area of the parallax barrier means and the activearea of the display image generating means, and t2 is a distance, in thepanel thickness direction, between the active area of the switchingmeans and the active area of the display image generating means, and θ1is a viewing angle secured by the display image generating means the2D/3D switching type liquid crystal

With the arrangement, emitted light at the viewing angle θ1 passesthrough (i) the end portion of the active area of the display imagegenerating means, and (ii) the active areas of the parallax barriermeans and the switching means. This secures the display image frommissing at the end portion even when viewed at a viewing angle as wideas that of the 2D-only display.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel is preferablyarranged such that: the parallax barrier means is constituted of (i) apatterned retardation plate in which two optical regions with differentretardation axis directions are patterned alternately in a stripemanner, and (ii) a parallax barrier polarizer whose transmission axis isfixed in one direction, and the display image generating means, thepatterned retardation plate, and the switching means are disposed inthis order.

The arrangement shortens the distance between the display imagegenerating means and the patterned retardation plate. This makes iteasier to obtain the 3D display effect during 3D display.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel is preferablyarranged such that: the parallax barrier means is constituted of (i) apatterned retardation plate in which two optical regions with differentretardation axis directions are patterned alternately in a stripemanner, and (ii) a parallax barrier polarizer whose transmission axis isfixed in one direction, the switching means is constituted of a liquidcrystal panel for switching, between ON and OFF of an applied voltage,an optical modulation effect on light passing through the switchingmeans, and in 2D display, the light passing the switching means isaffected by two optical areas of the patterned retardation plate to passthrough the parallax barrier polarizer at the same transmittance, and in3D display, the light passing the switching means is affected by theoptical areas of the patterned retardation plate to pass through theparallax barrier polarizer at the different transmittances.

With the arrangement, the light having passing through the switchingmeans enters the patterned retardation plate of the parallax barrier,and then enters the parallax barrier polarizer. The light beams enteringthe patterned retardation plate are subjected to different opticalmodulations in the respective optical areas of the patterned retardationplate, and become light beams having different polarization states.During 2D display, the parallax barrier polarizer renders the sametransmittance to the light having passed through the optical areas. Thisdeactivates the effect of the parallax barrier means. In contrast,during the 3D display, the parallax barrier polarizer renders differenttransmittances to the light beams; i.e., to (i) the light having passedthrough one optical area serving as a transmitting area and to (ii) thelight having passed through the other optical area serving as ashielding area, respectively. This activates the effect of the parallaxbarrier means.

On this account, it is possible to switch 2D display and 3D display byswitching ON and OFF voltage application to the switching means.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel may be arranged sothat: the display image generating means is provided as a display liquidcrystal panel that has two substrates between which a display liquidcrystal layer is sandwiched, and that is able to generate a displayimage for each of 2D display and 3D display, the parallax barrier meansis provided as a patterned retardation plate that is obtained byproviding, on a substrate, a patterned liquid crystal layer aligned in aspecific pattern, and that renders a certain viewing angle to an imagefor 3D display, the switching means is provided as a switching liquidcrystal panel that has two substrates between which a switching liquidcrystal layer is sandwiched, and that switches between 2D display and 3Ddisplay by activating and deactivating the effect of the parallaxbarrier of the patterned retardation plate, and the display liquidcrystal panel and the switching liquid crystal panel are provided suchthat a terminal formation portion of the display liquid crystal paneland a terminal formation portion of the switching liquid crystal panelare on a same side of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel.

With the arrangement, the terminal formation portions of the displayliquid crystal panel and the switching liquid crystal panel overlap witheach other when viewed from the display screen. This improves strengthagainst a stress exerted on the display screen, and makes it difficultto generate a crack in the substrate having the terminal formationportions.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel may be arrangedsuch that: the display image generating means is provided as a displayliquid crystal panel that has two substrates between which a displayliquid crystal layer is sandwiched, and that is able to generate adisplay image for each of 2D display and 3D display; the parallaxbarrier means and the switching means are provided as a switching liquidcrystal panel, the switching liquid crystal panel having two substratesbetween which a switching liquid crystal layer is sandwiched, and aspecific pattern; and the display liquid crystal panel and the switchingliquid crystal panel are disposed such that a terminal formation portionof the display liquid crystal panel and a terminal formation portion ofthe switching liquid crystal panel are on a same side of the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel.

With the arrangement, the terminal formation portions of the displayliquid crystal panel and the switching liquid crystal panel overlap witheach other when viewing from the display screen. This improves strengthagainst a stress exerted on the display screen, and makes it difficultto generate a crack in the substrate having the terminal formationportions.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel may be arrangedsuch that: the terminal formation portion of the display liquid crystalpanel is provided on one of two substrates of the display liquid crystalpanel, and the terminal formation portion of the switching liquidcrystal panel is provided on one of two substrates of the switchingliquid crystal panel, and the display liquid crystal panel and theswitching liquid crystal panel are disposed face to face so that thesubstrates respectively having the terminal formation portions face eachother.

The arrangement shorten distance between the substrate having theterminal formation portion of the display liquid crystal panel and thesubstrate having the terminal formation portion of the switching liquidcrystal panel. On this account, when an external force is exerted on theterminal formation portions, the substrates make contact with eachother, thereby improving strength of the substrate. This makes itdifficult to generate a crack in the substrates having the terminalformation portion.

Additional objects, features, and strengths of the present inventionwill be made clear by the description below. Further, the advantages ofthe present invention will be evident from the following explanation inreference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1( a) illustrates a relation in size between active areas in thecase where an active area of a display liquid crystal panel ispositioned on a front side, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 1( b) illustrates a relation in size between active areas in thecase where the active area of the display liquid crystal panel ispositioned on a rear side.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating an example of a structureof the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3( a) is a cross sectional view illustrating a structure of apatterned retardation plate used in the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel.

FIG. 3( b) is a plan view illustrating a structure of the patternedretardation plate used in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystaldisplay panel.

FIG. 4 illustrates directions of optic axes of constituent members ofthe 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of manufacturing apatterned retardation plate used for the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of manufacturing aswitching liquid crystal panel used for the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of assembling the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel.

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation principle of the 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel in 3D display.

FIG. 9 illustrates an operation principle of the 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel in 2D display.

FIG. 10 illustrates a relation between a viewing angle and visibilitywhen the respective active areas in the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel have the same width.

FIG. 11( a) illustrates a 3D display principle, and an effect ofrendering a viewing angle by the parallax barrier.

FIG. 11( b) illustrates a 3D display principle, and viewing areas in 3Ddisplay.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view illustrating an example of a structureof a 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel, according toanother embodiment different from the one shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 13( a) is a cross section view illustrating a structure of sample Aof the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel used for a droptest.

FIG. 13( b) is a cross section view illustrating a structure of sample Bof the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel used for a droptest.

FIG. 14 is a perspective exploded view illustrating a structure of amodule set used in the drop test.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, detail of the present invention is further described inaccordance with examples and comparative examples; however, the presentinvention is not limited to these.

The following description deals with an embodiment of the presentinvention with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 throughFIG. 14. Firstly, schematically explained is a structure of a 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel according to the presentinvention with reference to FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel is constructed by assembling a display liquid crystal panel 10, apatterned retardation plate 20, and a switching liquid crystal panel 30.Further, the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display device isprovided by providing a driving circuit and a backlight (light source)in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel according tothe present invention.

The display liquid crystal panel 10 is provided as a TFT liquid crystaldisplay panel, and includes stacked layers of a first polarizer 11, anopposing substrate (substrate) 12, a liquid crystal layer (displayliquid crystal layer) 13, an active matrix substrate (substrate) 14, anda second polarizer 15. The active matrix substrate 14 receives imagedata, which corresponds to an image to be displayed, via a wire 51 suchas FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) or the like.

In other words, the display liquid crystal panel 10 is provided asdisplay image generating means for generating the display image, whichcorrespond to the image data, on the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystaldisplay panel. Note that a display mode (TN mode or STN mode) and adriving mode (active matrix driving or passive matrix driving) in thedisplay liquid crystal panel 10 are not particularly limited as long asthe display liquid crystal panel 10 has the function for generating thedisplay image.

The patterned retardation plate 20 serves as a part of a parallaxbarrier, and has stacked layers of a transparent substrate 21, analignment film 22, a liquid crystal layer 23 in this order as shown inFIG. 3( a). Further, as shown in FIG. 3( b), the patterned retardationplate 20 has an active area in which a first area 20A (indicated by anoblique line section in FIG. 3( b)) and a second area 20B (indicated bya shading section in FIG. 3( b)) are alternately patterned in a stripemanner. The first area 20A has a different polarization state from thatof the second area 20B.

The switching liquid crystal panel 30 includes a driving side substrate(substrate) 31, a liquid crystal layer (switching liquid crystal layer)32, an opposing substrate (substrate) 33, and a third polarizer 34.Further, a wire 52 is connected to the driving side substrate 31 so asto apply a driving voltage to the liquid crystal layer 32 when theliquid crystal layer 32 becomes ON.

The switching liquid crystal panel 30 serves as a switching means forswitching, a polarization state of light passing through the switchingliquid crystal panel 30, in response to turning ON/OFF of the liquidcrystal layer 32. Specifically, the switching liquid crystal panel 30optically modulates the light differently in 2D display or 3D display.Note that the switching liquid crystal panel 30 is not required to bematrix-driven unlike the display liquid crystal panel 10. Therefore,driving electrodes for the driving side substrate 31 and the opposingsubstrate 33 are formed over an entire surface of an active area of theswitching liquid crystal panel 30.

The following description deals with a display operation of the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel having the structure.

Firstly, FIG. 4 exemplifies optic axis direction of each member of the2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel shown in FIG. 2. Notethat the optical axis directions of the liquid crystal panels and theretardation plate correspond to directions of retardation axes of thealignment films (rubbing directions of the alignment films),respectively. Note also that the optic axis directions of the polarizerscorrespond to transmission axis directions of the alignment films,respectively.

In the arrangement of FIG. 4, emitted light from the light source isfirstly polarized by the third polarizer 34 of the switching liquidcrystal panel 30. Note that, in 3D display, the switching panel 30 isoff and serves as a ½ wavelength plate.

After passing through the switching liquid crystal panel 30, the lightenters the patterned retardation plate 20, in which the first area 20Aand the second area 20B have different rubbing directions, i.e.,different retardation axis directions. This causes the light to bepolarized differently. Specifically, the light having passed through thefirst area 20A has a polarization state different from the polarizationstate of the light having passed through the second area 20B. In theexample of FIG. 4, the polarization axis of the light having passedthrough the first area 20A is different by a right angle from that ofthe light having passed through the second area 20B. With birefringenceanisotropy and a film thickness of the liquid crystal layer 23, thepatterned retardation plate 20 is set to serve as a ½ wavelength plate.

The light having passed through the patterned retardation plate 20enters the second polarizer 15 of the display liquid crystal panel 10.During 3D display, the polarization axis of the light having passedthrough the first area 20A is parallel to the transmission axis of thesecond polarizer 15, and the light therefore passes through thepolarizer 15. On the other hand, the polarization axis of the lighthaving passed through the second area 20B is orthogonal to thetransmission axis of the second polarizer 15, and the light thereforedoes not pass through the polarizer 15.

In other words, in the structure of FIG. 4, the function of parallaxbarrier (parallax barrier means) is attained by optical interactionbetween the patterned retardation plate 20 and the second polarizer(parallax barrier polarizer) 15. With this, the first area 20A of thepatterned retardation plate 20 serves as a transmitting area, and thesecond area 20B serves as a shielding area.

The light having passed through the polarizer 15 is subjected to opticalmodulation in the liquid crystal layer 13 of the display liquid crystalpanel 10. The optical modulation is different for the pixels undergoingblack display and the pixels undergoing white display. The firstpolarizer 14 merely allows passing of the optically modulated light ofthe pixel undergoing the white display, thereby displaying an image.

Here, for 3D display, the light transmitted through the transmissiveregion of the parallax barrier and modified to have a specific viewingangle is transmitted through the displaying liquid crystal panel 10 insuch a manner that the light passes through pixels corresponding to animage for the right eye and pixels corresponding to an image for theleft eye. As a result, the right eye image and left eye image areseparated to have different viewing angles, and 3D display is carriedout.

In contrast, in cases where the 2D display is carried out, the switchingliquid crystal panel 30 is turned ON, and the light passing through theswitching liquid crystal panel 30 will not be optically modulated. Next,the light having passed through the switching liquid crystal panel 30passes through the patterned retardation plate 20 in such a manner thatthe light transmitted through the first area 20A and the lighttransmitted through the second region 20B have different polarizationstates.

However, unlike 3D display, the switching liquid crystal display panel30 does not perform optical modulation in 2D display. Therefore, thepolarizing axes of the light beams transmitted through the patternedretardation plate 20 will be symmetrically with respect to thetransmission axis of the second polarizer 15. As a result, the lighthaving passed through the first area 20A and the light having passedthrough second area 20B pass through the second polarizer 15 at the sametransmittance. Thus, the function of the parallax barrier function dueto the optical interaction between the patterned retardation plate 20and the second polarizer 15 is not attained (that is, no specificviewing angle is given) with the result that the 2D display is carriedout.

Next, the following description deals with the steps of manufacturingthe 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal panel with reference to FIG. 5through FIG. 7. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps ofmanufacturing the patterned retardation plate 20. FIG. 6 is a flowchartillustrating the steps of manufacturing the switching liquid crystalpanel 30. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of assembling the2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel. Note that, themanufacturing steps for the display liquid crystal panel 10 is the sameas that for a conventional active matrix substrate, so that explanationthereof is omitted here.

Referring to FIG. 5, firstly in the step of manufacturing the patternedretardation plate 20, a prime glass to be the substrate 21 is washed,and polyimide is applied to a surface of the substrate, and thesubstrate is sintered, thereby forming the alignment film 22 (S1 throughS3). Next, the alignment film 22 is subjected to a first rubbingtreatment (first rubbing) (S4). Note that a rubbing direction in thefirst rubbing corresponds to the rubbing direction of the second area20B (S4).

After the first rubbing, the substrate is washed, and a resist isapplied to the alignment film 22, and the substrate is temporarilysintered, and then steps of exposing, developing, and drying thesubstrate are carried out so as to pattern the resist (S5 to S8). Thepatterned resist is so formed as to cover a portion that is to be thesecond area 20B of the patterned retardation plate 20.

Then, a second rubbing treatment (second rubbing) is carried out withrespect to the surface having the patterned resist (S9). Note that arubbing direction of the second rubbing corresponds to the rubbingdirection of the first area 20A. Here, the area covered with the resistformed on the alignment film 22 keeps the retardation axis direction setby the first rubbing.

After the second rubbing, the substrate is washed, and then, exposure(full plate exposure) and development are carried out again with respectto the resist remaining on the alignment film 22 in order to remove theresist, and then the substrate is dried (S10 through S12). Next, aUV-curable liquid crystal solution is applied to the alignment film 22by using a spin-coating method or the like, and then ultraviolet lightis irradiated to the UV-curable liquid crystal solution so as tocrosslink and polymerize the liquid crystal molecules (S13 through S14).In this way, the liquid crystal layer 23 is formed.

The processes S1 through S14 are carried out in such a manner that aplurality of the patterned retardation plates 20 are manufactured atonce as a large substrate. Therefore, the large substrate having thepatterned retardation plates 20 is divided into individual patternedretardation plates 20, and each of the divided patterned retardationplates 20 are examined to complete the patterned retardation plate 20(S15 through S17).

The following explains the steps of manufacturing the switching liquidcrystal panel 30. Referring to FIG. 6, firstly, washing is carried outwith respect to a glass that has a driving electrodes made of ITO(indium tin oxide) and that is to be the driving side substrate 31, andthen an alignment film is formed, by printing and sintering, on a sidewhich has the driving electrode (S21 through S23). Next, a rubbingprocess is carried out with respect to the alignment film (S24).

After the rubbing, the substrate is washed, and spacers are scattered onthe alignment film of the substrate, and sealing is carried out thereto,then the substrate is assembled with the opposing substrate 33 (S25 toS27). Note that the opposing substrate 33 assembled in S27 has the samestructure as a conventional active matrix panel, so that detailedexplanation of its manufacturing steps is omitted here.

The processes of S21 through S27 are carried out in such a manner that aplurality of cells of the switching panel 30 are manufactured at once.The switching panel 30 thus manufactured are divided into individualcells, and liquid crystal is injected into each cell, thereby completingthe switching liquid crystal panel 30 (S28 through S30). Further, thethird polarizer 34 is provided only on one surface of the switchingliquid crystal panel 30 used in the present embodiment.

Next, the display liquid crystal panel 10, the patterned retardationplate 20, and the switching panel 30 thus manufactured are assembledtogether so as to construct the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystalpanel of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the assembling steps for constructing the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel, the patterned retardationplate 20 is assembled with the display liquid crystal panel 10 by usingan adhesive agent (S41).

Further, the switching panel 30 is assembled with the display liquidcrystal panel 10 having been assembled with the patterned retardationplate 20, thereby completing the 2D/3D switching liquid crystal displaypanel (S42 through S43).

FIG. 8 illustrates a principle of 3D display operation of the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel. Specifically, emitted lightfrom the backlight (light source) is polarized by the third polarizer34, and is subjected to optical modulation in the active area of theswitching liquid crystal panel 30. By the optical modulation, the effectof the parallax barrier is activated.

The light having passed through the active area of the switching liquidcrystal panel is affected by the parallax barrier as it passes throughthe patterned retardation plate 20 and the second polarizer 15. As aresult, the images (the right-eye image and the left-eye image)displayed in the active area of the display liquid crystal panel 10 arerendered specific viewing angles.

In contrast, FIG. 9 illustrates a principle of 2D display operation. Inthis case, the emitted light from the backlight (light source) ispolarized by the third polarizer 34, but is not subjected to opticalmodulation when passing through the active area of the switching liquidcrystal panel 30. Namely, the effect of the parallax barrier isdeactivated by the switching liquid crystal panel 30.

When the light having passed through the switching liquid crystal panel30 passes through the patterned retardation plate 20 and the secondpolarizer 15, the light is not affected by the parallax barrier therein.This causes a 2D image to be displayed in the active area of the displayliquid crystal panel 10.

As described above, in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel, the emitted light from the backlight is used for display bypassing through the respective active areas of the display liquidcrystal panel 10, the patterned retardation plate 20, and the switchingliquid crystal panel 10, regardless of the 2D display or 3D display.

Note that the active area of the display liquid crystal panel 10 refersto the area in which pixels are provided in a matrix manner and in whicha display image is generated. The active area of the patternedretardation plate 20 refers to the area in which the first and thesecond areas are formed in a stripe manner. The active area of theswitching liquid crystal panel 30 refers to the area in which the lightpassing through the switching liquid crystal panel 30 can be subjectedto optical modulation according to an applied voltage to the liquidcrystal layer 32.

Here, assuming that the active areas have the same width, the light thathas passed through the active area of the display liquid crystal displaypanel 10 in the vicinity of an edge of the display screen is shielded byan area outside the active area of the patterned retardation plate 20 orthe switching liquid crystal panel 30, when the light is incidentobliquely with respect to the display screen of the 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel, as shown in FIG. 10. This causes noproblem in 3D display, which intends to provide a view square to thescreen, but causes a problem of narrowing the viewing angle in 2Ddisplay, which should allow for oblique viewing with respect to thescreen.

In the example of FIG. 10, θ1 is a viewing angle secured by the displayliquid crystal panel 10 (a permissible viewing angle of 2D-only displayusing only the display liquid crystal panel 10). When viewed at θ1, animage that corresponds to about three pixels at an end portion of thescreen is lost and becomes unseeable. A viewing angle that provides aview of a full image is extremely narrower than that of the 2D-onlydisplay, as indicated by θ2.

A feature of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel ofthe present invention lies in a structure for realizing, in 2D display,a viewing angle as wide as that of the 2D-only display. Specifically,the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel is so arrangedthat each active area of the patterned retardation plate 20 and theswitching liquid crystal panel 30 has an end portion extending beyondthe end portion of the active area of the display liquid crystal panel10.

With this, the patterned retardation plate 20 and the switching liquidcrystal panel 30 have wider active areas than the display liquid crystalpanel 10 does. This restrains the shielding-off of the light in the areaoutside the active area of the patterned retardation plate 20 or theswitching liquid crystal panel 30 when the light passes through theactive area of the display liquid crystal panel 10 in the vicinity of anend portion of the screen. Accordingly, the viewing angle in 2D displayis improved.

Here, assume d1 is a protrusion amount of the end portion of the activearea of the display liquid crystal panel 10 with respect to the endportion of the active area of the patterned retardation plate 20. Also,d2 is a protrusion amount of the end portion of the active area of thedisplay liquid crystal panel 10 with respect to the end portion of theactive area of the switching liquid crystal panel 30. Further, t1 is adistance between (i) the active area of the display liquid crystal panel10, and (ii) the active area of the patterned retardation plate 20.Also, t2 is a distance between (i) the active area of the display liquidcrystal panel 10, and (ii) the active area of the switching liquidcrystal panel 30. Further, θ1 is the viewing angle secured by thedisplay liquid crystal panel 10.

Referring to FIG. 1( a), in order to provide a view of the full imagewithout the missing end portion at the viewing angle θ1, the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel according to the presentembodiment is so set as to satisfy:d1≧t1·tan θ1, and d2≧t2·tan θ1  (1)

In this case, light entering at the viewing angle θ1 and passing throughthe end portion of the active area of the display liquid crystal panel10 passes through the active areas of the patterned retardation plate 20and the switching liquid crystal panel 30. This allows a displayed imageto be viewed without a missing end portion, even when viewed at aviewing angle as wide as that of the 2D-only display.

Note that FIG. 1( a) exemplifies such a structure that the active areaof the display liquid crystal panel 10 is provided on a front side(display surface side) and that the active areas of the patternedretardation plate 20 and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 areprovided on a rear side (light source side).

However, this example is not the only structure of the 2D/3D switchingtype liquid crystal display panel of the present invention. The 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel may be so arranged that theactive area of the display liquid crystal panel 10 is provided on therear side (light source side) as shown in FIG. 1( b). In this case,either the patterned retardation plate 20 or the switching liquidcrystal panel 30 may be provided closer to the light source; however, itis preferable to provide the display liquid crystal panel 10, thepatterned retardation plate 20, and the switching liquid crystal panel30 in this order from the light source. A reason for this is that: thecloser the distance between the display liquid crystal panel 10 and thepatterned retardation plate 20 is, the easier it is to obtain the effectof 3D display.

However, the polarizer serving as a part of the parallax barrier isrequired to be provided closer to the display surface than the patternedretardation plate 20 and the switching liquid crystal panel 30.Specifically, the polarizer is so provided on the switching liquidcrystal panel 30 as to be closer to the display surface rather than thelight source. With this, the polarizer constitutes a part of theparallax barrier.

Further, it is preferable that whichever one of the active areas of thepatterned retardation plate 20 and the switching liquid crystal panel 30farther away from the active area of the display liquid crystal panel 10be wider. That is, it is preferable that the examples shown in FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1( b) both satisfy the following inequality: D1<D2<D3, whereD1 is the width of the active area of the display liquid crystal panel10, D2 is the width of the active area of the patterned retardationplate 20, and D3 is the width of the active area of the switching liquidcrystal panel 30.

Also in the example shown in FIG. 1( b), an image without a missing endportion can be viewed at the viewing angle θ1 as long as the activeareas of the display liquid crystal panel 10, the patterned retardationplate 20, and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 satisfy theaforesaid inequalities (1).

Note that the structures shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are effective notonly in a horizontal direction with respect to the display screen butalso in a perpendicular direction with respect to the display screen.

The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel of the presentembodiment is constituted by combining the display liquid crystal panel10, the patterned retardation plate 20, and the switching liquid crystalpanel 30. The substrate 21 of the patterned retardation plate 20 doesnot require essentially any area other than the active area for the sakeof display operation.

On the contrary, the substrate (particularly the active matrix substrate14) of the display liquid crystal panel 10, and the substrate(particularly the driving side substrate 31) of the switching liquidcrystal panel 30 respectively require terminal sections for receivingelectric signals in order to control voltage application to the liquidcrystal layers in the active areas. Accordingly, the substrates of thedisplay liquid crystal panel 10 and the switching liquid crystal panel30 require areas (terminal formation portions) for the terminalsections, respectively.

In the structure shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a terminal formationportion 14 a in the active matrix substrate 14 of the display liquidcrystal panel 10, and there is provided a terminal formation portion 31a in the driving side substrate 31 of the switching liquid crystal panel30.

Here, if the displaying liquid crystal panel 10, the patternedretardation plate 20, and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 haveminimum required substrate areas, the terminal formation portions of thedisplaying liquid crystal panel 10 and the switching liquid crystalpanel 30 protrude when the substrates are assembled. Therefore, thesubstrates having the protruding terminal formation portions tend toeasily crack due to a shock or the like, as descried in the BACKGROUNDART section.

For this reason, in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel according to the present embodiment, the terminal formationportions 14 a and 31 a are positioned on the same side of the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel as shown in FIG. 2.

With this, the terminal formation portions 14 a and 31 a overlap witheach other when viewed from the display screen side. This improvesstrength against stress exerted on the display screen, and makes itdifficult to cause a crack in the substrates having the terminalformation portions 14 a and 31 a.

Further, in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel, thelarger substrates of the display liquid crystal panel 10 and theswitching liquid crystal panel 30, respectively, are so assembled as tobe inner substrates. The larger substrates refer to the substrateshaving the terminal formation portions 14 a and 31 a, respectively. Inother words, the display liquid crystal panel 10, the retardation plate20, and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 are assembled in thefollowing manner. That is, the display liquid crystal panel 10 and theswitching liquid crystal panel 30 are provided face to face so that theactive matrix substrate 14 of the display liquid crystal panel 10 andthe driving side substrate 31 of the switching liquid crystal panel 30face each other. The active matrix 14 is one of the two glass substratesof the display liquid crystal panel 10, and has the terminal formationportion 14 a. The driving side substrate 31 is one of the two glasssubstrates of the switching liquid crystal panel, and has the terminalformation portion 31 a.

This shortens the distance between the respective substrates having theterminal formation portions 14 a and 31 a. With this, the display liquidcrystal panel 10 and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 can protecttheir electronic components each other. This makes it difficult to causea crack in the substrates having the terminal formation portion 14 a and31 a.

Note that the aforementioned 2D/3D switching liquid crystal panel isconstructed by assembling the three members; (i) the display liquidcrystal panel 10, (ii) the patterned retardation panel 20, and (iii) theswitching liquid crystal panel 30, all of which are separately made.However, the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel of thepresent invention may be constructed by assembling two members.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel may be constructed from the display liquid crystalpanel 10 and a switching liquid crystal panel 40. The switching liquidcrystal panel 40 is fabricated by forming a patterned retardation layer41 on a surface of the switching liquid crystal panel 30 to be matedwith the displaying liquid crystal panel 10 (see FIG. 2). With thepatterned retardation layer 41 formed on the driving-side substrate 31,the transparent substrate 21 of the patterned retardation plate 20 isomitted.

The switching liquid crystal panel 40 is fabricated in accordance withthe steps of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 by using, as one substrate,the patterned retardation plate fabricated in accordance with the stepsof the flowchart shown in FIG. 5.

It should be noted that the patterned retardation layer 41 of theswitching liquid crystal panel 40 is not necessarily limited to a liquidcrystal layer, but can be, e.g., a patterned resin. Note also that theposition of the patterned retardation layer 41 is not limited to thesurface to be mated with the displaying liquid crystal panel 10.

Further, apart from using the patterned retardation layer 41, there isalternative means for attaining the aforementioned parallax barrierfunction in the switching liquid crystal panel 40. For example, ribmembers are so arranged in a lath-shaped manner as to be pillars, andliquid crystal is injected between the pillars. By controlling opticalrotation and birefringence of the liquid crystal, two types of light areobtained: (1) light passing through the ribs to be viewed, and (2) lightpassing through the liquid crystal to be viewed.

Further, also in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panelhaving the structure shown in FIG. 12, the relation shown in FIG. 1( a)or FIG. 1( b) is satisfied by (i) the active area of the liquid crystallayer 13 of the display liquid crystal panel 10 and (ii) the activeareas of the patterned retardation layer 41 and the liquid crystal layer32 of the switching liquid crystal panel 40.

Further, the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel explainedabove assumes that the terminal formation portion is formed on only oneof the two substrates of each of the display liquid crystal panel 10 andthe switching liquid crystal panel 30 (or switching liquid crystal panel40).

However, depending on use of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystaldisplay panel, the terminal formation portion may be positioned, forexample, (i) on two sides of the display liquid crystal panel 10, and(ii) on a side of each of the substrates of the display liquid crystalpanel 10. In such a case, it is preferable that the substrate opposingthe switching liquid crystal panel 30 have a larger area (have a largerterminal formation portion).

Because the larger substrate (the substrate having the larger terminalformation portion) is positioned on the inner side of the stacked 2D/3Dswitching liquid crystal display panel, a more margin against crackingis provided. The improved sturdiness of the substrate having theterminal formation portion allows for protection of electric componentsof circuits provided on the periphery (corresponding to the terminalformation portion) of the substrate.

In order to examine the crack prevention effect of the 2D/3D switchingtype liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention, adrop test was carried out by using a plurality of samples: a sample A(see FIG. 13( a)), and a sample B (see FIG. 13( b)). Note that theliquid crystal layers are omitted in FIGS. 13( a) and 13(b).

Sample A was prepared as a reference example with respect to the presentinvention, and had such a structure that the driving side substrate 31was provided on the opposite side of the switching liquid crystal panel30 from the mated surface (the larger substrates having terminalformation portions 14 a and 31 a were not provided on the inner side).Specifically, there were two glass substrates between the active matrixsubstrate 14 having the terminal formation portion 14 a and the drivingside substrate 31 having the terminal section 31 a; namely, (1) thetransparent substrate 21 of the patterned retardation plate 20, and (2)the opposing substrate 33 of the switching liquid crystal panel 30. Theactive matrix substrate 14 was provided in the display liquid crystalpanel 10, and the driving matrix substrate 31 was provided in theswitching liquid crystal panel 30.

On the other hand, sample B corresponds to the present invention, andhad such a structure that the active matrix substrate 14 having theterminal formation portion 14 a and the driving side substrate 31 havingthe terminal formation portion 31 a were both assembled as the innersubstrates. Therefore, in sample B, the transparent substrate 21 of thepatterned retardation plate 20 was the only glass substrate providedbetween the substrates, and the distance therebetween was thereforeshorter than that of sample A.

The drop test for samples A and B was carried out as follows. That is,the display liquid crystal panel 10, the patterned retardation plate 20,and the switching liquid crystal panel 30 are incorporated in a modularset shown in FIG. 14, and each module was dropped with the displayscreen upward. A result of the drop test is shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Height (cm) Sample 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Sample A No CrackCrack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack crack Sample B No No No No No No NoCrack crack crack crack crack crack crack crack

Note that the substrates tested for the presence or absence of a crackare made of glass; however, a crack also generates even when thesubstrates of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel aremade of plastic. Therefore, the material of the substrates is notparticularly limited in the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel.

According to the result shown in Table 1, sample A of the referenceexample cracked when dropped from a height of 40 cm. On the contrary,sample B according to the present invention did not crack until it wasdropped from a height of 90 cm. This indicates that sample B is at leasttwice as reliable as sample A. This confirmed that the 2D/3D switchingtype liquid crystal display panel of the present invention had thesubstrate crack prevention effect.

Note that the terminal formation portion had a protruding amount of 4.5mm, and the distance between the two glass substrates having theterminal formation portions was 0.3 mm in sample B, which corresponds tothe present invention and in which the substrate crack prevention effectwas obtained in the test.

In order to obtain the substrate crack prevention effect of the presentinvention, it is preferable that, when the thickness of each glasssubstrate is approximately 0.4 mm, the protruding amount of eachterminal formation portion is 1 mm through 5 mm, and the distancebetween the two glass substrates each having the terminal formationportions is 0.25 mm through 0.35 mm.

The embodiments and concrete examples of implementation discussed in theforegoing detailed explanation serve solely to illustrate the technicaldetails of the present invention, which should not be narrowlyinterpreted within the limits of such embodiments and concrete examples,but rather may be applied in many variations within the spirit of thepresent invention, provided such variations do not exceed the scope ofthe patent claims set forth below.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the structure of the present invention, it is possible toprovide a (2D/3D switching) liquid crystal panel and a (2D/3D switching)liquid crystal device, each of which switches a first display (2Ddisplay) and a second display (3D display), and which allows a viewingangle during the first display is as wide as a viewing angle of onecarrying out only the first display (2D-only display). Further,reliability against dropping and a shock is improved in the (2D/3Dswitching) liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal device which switchesthe first display and the second display. This enables the liquidcrystal panel and the liquid crystal display device to be suitably used.

1. A 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel capable of 2Ddisplay and 3D display, comprising: display image generating means forgenerating an image in accordance with input image data; parallaxbarrier means for rendering a certain viewing angle to a display imageduring 3D display, so as to provide a 3D effect; and switching means forswitching 2D display and 3D display by activating and deactivating theeffect of the parallax barrier means, the parallax barrier means and theswitching means respectively having wider active areas than an activearea of the display image generating means.
 2. The 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: one ofthe active areas of the parallax barrier means and the switching meansfarther away from the active area of the display image generating meanshas a wider area.
 3. The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal displaypanel as set forth in claim 1, wherein:d1≧t1·tan θ1, and d2≧t2·tan θ1 are satisfied, where d1 is a widthwiseprotruding amount from an end portion of the active area of the displayimage generating means to an end portion of the active area of theparallax barrier means and, d2 is a widthwise protrusion amount from theend portion of the active area of the display image generating means toan end portion of the active area of the switching means, t1 is adistance, in a panel thickness direction, between the active area of theparallax barrier means and the active area of the display imagegenerating means, and t2 is a distance, in the panel thicknessdirection, between the active area of the switching means and the activearea of the display image generating means, and θ1 is a viewing anglesecured by the display image generating means the 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal.
 4. The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panelas set forth in claim 1, wherein: the parallax barrier means isconstituted of (i) a patterned retardation plate in which two opticalregions with different retardation axis directions are patternedalternately in a stripe manner, and (ii) a parallax barrier polarizerwhose transmission axis is fixed in one direction, and the display imagegenerating means, the patterned retardation plate, and the switchingmeans are disposed in this order.
 5. The 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: the parallaxbarrier means is constituted of (i) a patterned retardation plate inwhich two optical regions with different retardation axis directions arepatterned alternately in a stripe manner, and (ii) a parallax barrierpolarizer whose transmission axis is fixed in one direction, theswitching means is constituted of a liquid crystal panel for switching,between ON and OFF of an applied voltage, an optical modulation effecton light passing through the switching means, and in 2D display, thelight passing the switching means is affected by two optical areas ofthe patterned retardation plate to pass through the parallax barrierpolarizer at the same transmittance, and in 3D display, the lightpassing the switching means is affected by the optical areas of thepatterned retardation plate to pass through the parallax barrierpolarizer at the different transmittances.
 6. The 2D/3D switching typeliquid crystal display panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: thedisplay image generating means is provided as a display liquid crystalpanel that has two substrates between which a display liquid crystallayer is sandwiched, and that is able to generate a display image foreach of 2D display and 3D display, the parallax barrier means isprovided as a patterned retardation plate that is obtained by providing,on a substrate, a patterned liquid crystal layer aligned in a specificpattern, and that renders a certain viewing angle to an image for 3Ddisplay, the switching means is provided as a switching liquid crystalpanel that has two substrates between which a switching liquid crystallayer is sandwiched, and that switches between 2D display and 3D displayby activating and deactivating the effect of the parallax barrier of thepatterned retardation plate, and the display liquid crystal panel andthe switching liquid crystal panel are provided such that a terminalformation portion of the display liquid crystal panel and a terminalformation portion of the switching liquid crystal panel are on a sameside of the 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel.
 7. The2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel as set forth in claim6, wherein: the terminal formation portion of the display liquid crystalpanel is provided on one of two substrates of the display liquid crystalpanel, and the terminal formation portion of the switching liquidcrystal panel is provided on one of two substrates of the switchingliquid crystal panel, and the display liquid crystal panel and theswitching liquid crystal panel are disposed face to face so that thesubstrates respectively having the terminal formation portions face eachother.
 8. The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel as setforth in claim 6, wherein: the display liquid crystal panel and theswitching liquid crystal panel are disposed face to face so that alarger of the two substrates of the display panel faces a larger of thetwo substrates of the switching liquid crystal panel.
 9. The 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel as set forth in claim 1,wherein the display image generating means is provided as a displayliquid crystal panel that has two substrates between which a displayliquid crystal layer is sandwiched, and that is able to generate adisplay image for each of 2D display and 3D display, the parallaxbarrier means and the switching means are provided as a switching liquidcrystal panel, the switching liquid crystal panel having two substratesbetween which a switching liquid crystal layer is sandwiched, and aspecific pattern, and the display liquid crystal panel and the switchingliquid crystal panel are disposed such that a terminal formation portionof the display liquid crystal panel and a terminal formation portion ofthe switching liquid crystal panel are on a same side of the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel.
 10. The 2D/3D switchingtype liquid crystal display panel as set forth in claim 9, wherein: theterminal formation portion of the display liquid crystal panel isprovided on one of two substrates of the display liquid crystal panel,and the terminal formation portion of the switching liquid crystal panelis provided on one of two substrates of the switching liquid crystalpanel, and the display liquid crystal panel and the switching liquidcrystal panel are disposed face to face so that the substratesrespectively having the terminal formation portions face each other. 11.The 2D/3D switching type liquid crystal display panel as set forth inclaim 9, wherein: the display liquid crystal panel and the switchingliquid crystal panel are disposed face to face so that a larger of thetwo substrates of the display panel faces a larger of the two substratesof the switching liquid crystal panel.
 12. A 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display device, comprising: a 2D/3D switching type liquidcrystal display panel capable of 2D display and 3D display, the 2D/3Dswitching type liquid crystal display panel including: display imagegenerating means for generating an image in accordance with input imagedata; parallax barrier means for rendering a certain viewing angle to adisplay image during 3D display, so as to provide a 3D effect; andswitching means for switching 2D display and 3D display by activatingand deactivating the effect of the parallax barrier means, the parallaxbarrier means and the switching means respectively having wider activeareas than an active area of the display image generating means.
 13. Aliquid crystal display panel, comprising: (i) display image generatingmeans for generating two display images in accordance with input imagedata; (ii) parallax barrier means for separating the display images tohave different viewing angles; and (iii) switching means for switchingthe effect of the parallax barrier means to be activated or deactivated,the parallax barrier means and the switching means having wider activeareas than an active area of the display image generating means.
 14. Aliquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal panelincluding: (i) display image generating means for generating two displayimages in accordance with input image data; (ii) parallax barrier meansfor separating the display images to have different viewing angles; and(iii) switching means for switching the effect of the parallax barriermeans to be activated or deactivated, the parallax barrier means and theswitching means having wider active areas than an active area of thedisplay image generating means.